The emotionless question made the driver instinctively want to back away again.
Huh? Why was he afraid of her, a powerless beggar?
Realizing this, the driver's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance as he straightened up, slightly raising his chin and looking at Ji Ning with contempt, "This is a private matter between President Bai and the young lady, outsiders shouldn't..."
"Shut up! You speak!"
Ji Ning bluntly interrupted his nonsense and looked at Ye Tong.
The driver choked, clenched his fists instantly, and was so angry that he was ready to lash out with curses. Just as he was about to speak, he found he couldn't open his mouth, as if it were stuck shut by strong glue.
The driver's face changed drastically, terribly frightened, he glanced back and forth between Lin Yuanyang and Ji Ning trying to find who was controlling him, and eventually looked at Lin Yuanyang.
He actually became a superpower user.
Ye Tong, across from him, didn't notice the driver's anomaly and softly recounted what had happened earlier. After listening, Ji Ning unceremoniously pulled Bai Xiaotang off herself, grabbed her by the collar with one hand, moved her an arm's length away, and said coldly, "Is this all you're capable of?"
Bai Xiaotang stood beside, sniffling and feeling aggrieved, "I don't want to bother my brother."
"Nonsense! If a brother can't even protect his sister, what use is he?" Ji Ning reprimanded in a harsh tone, then turned to Lin Yuanyang and said coldly, "Kid, if you owe someone a favor, remember to repay it."
Lin Yuanyang's face darkened instantly, but Ji Ning turned her gaze back to Ye Tong.
Ye Tong was so scared she didn't dare make a sound, afraid Ji Ning would scold her, but Ji Ning merely glanced at her a few times and said, "You... extra training tomorrow."
Ye Tong: "..."
Finally, Ji Ning's gaze returned to the driver, and she calmly uttered a terrifying remark, "Those who eat man's salaries, be loyal to man's affairs. If you bear two hearts, you shall be executed!"
Her voice was calm yet carried an undeniable pressure.
The driver's chest felt as though it was blocked by a stone, his face pale as paper, sweat from his forehead trickled down his cheeks, whether from guilt or fear.
Bai Xiaotang looked back and forth between the driver and Ji Ning in confusion, just about to speak when she saw Ji Ning take the meal from Ye Tong's hand and turn away.
As the elevator doors slowly closed, she snapped back to reality, looking at Ye Tong with a bewildered expression, "Sister Ning…she..."
Beside her, Lin Yuanyang snorted coldly, "Thought it was specially for you, I overestimated her."
He walked straight to another elevator and went home.
Bai Xiaotang and Ye Tong looked at each other, glancing at the still-standing driver, then tacitly went into the last elevator.
At this moment, the driver was like a statue, completely motionless, sweat streaming down his face like rain, his eyes filled with magnified terror.
Bai Xiaotang wanted to say something more, but Ye Tong quickly covered her mouth, pressing the button to close the elevator door.
At the moment the elevator door closed, a compelling voice suddenly appeared in the driver's mind: "Go back to Beijing!"
That afternoon.
Bai Xiaotang received two messages.
One was the driver's farewell message: [Young lady, due to personal reasons I have returned to Beijing, a new driver will start in a few days.]
One was from Lin Yuanyang, it simply read: [Rumors have been dealt with.]
All the owner groups spreading rumors that Bai Xiaotang was an illegitimate child received a mysterious message, upon opening it they found it was a very credible lawyer's letter.
The homeowners at Ming Mansion Gardens immediately quieted down.
The expression of a certain person mixed among them turned sour as they closed the Smart Brain and made a phone call, "Plan A failed, execute plan B."
***
Ji Ning became famous after a single battle, Bai Xiaotang and Ye Tong suddenly became much more disciplined in her presence, especially Ye Tong, who dared not easily order Ji Ning to do chores anymore.
Ji Ning enjoyed her freedom...
Until one early morning.
The two trying hard to be exam kings, suddenly jumped and shouted while holding their phones after completing 20 laps, the decibel level was high enough to scare away birds passing by.
"Ah... the War God series is being remade, all actors will be cast through open auditions, with the first stop being Anhe City."
"Really. Sister Xiaotong, this is an opportunity."
Bai Xiaotang was happy for Ye Tong, the two girls hugged each other, jumping and laughing away the half-dead look from running.
Ji Ning quietly adjusted their training plan on Ye Tong's second-hand phone.
20 laps weren't enough, tomorrow 30 laps...
The news that the War God series would be remade quickly swept across the Hua Continent.
Everyone like Ye Tong who harbored dreams began heading to Anhe City.
Ji Ning noticed the bus to Anhe Film and Television Base had become noticeably more crowded, sometimes they couldn't even squeeze onto the bus.
"Sister Ning, all these people are our competitors." Ye Tong muttered softly, feeling secretly anxious.
Ji Ning closed her eyes, holding onto the handrail with one hand, her body swaying slightly with the bus, she casually replied, "Yours"
Ye Tong was puzzled, "You're not joining the auditions?"
"Not joining."
"Why?"
Though curious, Ye Tong felt a sudden sense of relief. To be honest, she didn't know what she was thinking, she felt Ji Ning was more suited to play the War God than anyone.
She even discussed with Bai Xiaotang, saying if Ji Ning joined the auditions, she wouldn't compete for the female lead role, but who knew Ji Ning wasn't even joining the auditions, making her very curious about Ji Ning's thoughts.
After all, whoever played the War God would attract global attention, instantly transforming from a nobody to an international superstar, soaring high and becoming a household name.
An irresistible lure for any ordinary person.
Ji Ning didn't open her eyes, lazily replied, "Need to go to school."
"Go... go to school?"
Only then did Ye Tong remember Ji Ning would soon be taking the special enrollment exam at Anhe Middle School.
Due to school reasons, the exam was delayed by a week, this time the date was confirmed.
Suddenly worried, she said, "Sister Ning, have you gotten your studies ready? Did you complete the practice books that Tangtang and I bought you? Have you learned all the movements in the Body Refinement Realm?"
Ji Ning felt a bit impatient, frowned slightly, opened one eye to look at her, and responded with a "Hmm."
Ye Tong didn't stop her chattering, "Sister Ning, don't take it lightly. I specifically inquired, the special enrollment exam at Anhe Middle School's high school division is difficult, it's divided into academic and physical exams. Academic scores account for 40%, physical scores account for 60%, if either subject's score isn't passing or the physical exam doesn't reach B-level, you might be downgraded to the junior high division."
Huh? Downgraded?
Ji Ning opened both eyes.
Ye Tong continued, "If you're like Tangtang and Lin Yuanyang, transferring normally, physical exams below B-level can still enter with extra sponsorship to the school, but for special enrollment candidates, the school has requirements, if you don't meet them, you'll be downgraded to the junior division. Uncle He hasn't mentioned this before, Tangtang doesn't even know…"
Ji Ning's gaze slightly flickered, she went too easy on that traitor.
She should've really sent him packing back to Beijing.
***
Bus 28 slowly pulled into the film base station.
Once the doors opened, a crowd of people poured out.
The bus was instantly emptied by a third, the air even seemed fresher.
Ye Tong and Ji Ning got off last.
The two hurried to a prop shop in the film town and rented two sets of beggar costumes.
Ye Tong even put on a dirty makeup look in the shop, which made Ji Ning take another look.
"Sister Ning, Brother Tao said there's a big gig today, they're looking for 150 extras to act out a mutant zombie siege, pay is 200 a day, and includes lunch. If we're lucky, we might even get a second or two of footage. Later make sure to stand in front with me."